Written Answers Tuesday 9 November 2010

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to remove barriers that might prevent entry into the agriculture industry.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has taken a number of initiatives to overcome barriers to entry into agriculture. In 2007 I asked the Tenant Farming Forum to consider what needed to be done to reduce the barriers to entry. We have responded positively to the forum’s proposed package of measures. For example, we are currently placing an order before the Parliament agreeing to six out of the forum’s eight proposed amendments to the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act. These measures are aimed at encouraging the release of more land into the farm tenancy market.

  To help overcome the financial barriers to entry, we also provide a range of funding support through the Scotland Rural Development Programme for young new entrants to farming and crofting. This includes a dedicated measure providing interest rate relief on a commercial business development loan and an establishment grant, together worth up to £47,945, as well as a 10 per cent enhancement on capital grants for business development projects.

  We also support industry initiatives aimed at helping new entrants to acquire the business and other skills needed to be successful in farming and crofting.

  For the future, new entrant representatives sit on our stakeholder group set up to consider priorities for the next Common Agricultural Policy period (2014 to 2020), to ensure that the interests of new entrants are fully taken into account in the development of policies and measures for the next period.

Agriculture

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to encourage estate owners to make starter units available for new agricultural tenants.

Roseanna Cunningham: Since 2007 the number of limited duration tenancies and short limited duration tenancies have increased by 25 per cent and 35 per cent respectively.

  In addition, the Scottish Government are working with the Tenant Farming Forum to achieve leasing arrangements that will encourage the letting of more agricultural farm land by landowners in Scotland to tenant farmers. We are consulting on a draft order under provisions in the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, to the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Acts of 1991 and 2003, based on proposals from the Tenant Farming Forum.

  Some of these changes will help to reduce unnecessary costs to landowners of providing agricultural farm land for tenant farmers, which can be significant (and therefore reflected in the rent), arising from the current agricultural tenancy legislation.

  Also, amongst other measures to support new entrants to farming, the Scottish Government was the first administration in the UK to introduce a dedicated new entrant’s support measure through an interest rate relief subsidy of up to £27,397 under the Scottish Rural Development Programme.

Alcohol Misuse

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that patients with alcohol-related brain damage are identified earlier and supported by a multidisciplinary team assessment, integrated services and a care plan with clear goals for treatment, care and rehabilitation, in light of the findings of the Mental Welfare Commission’s report, Missed Opportunities .

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that a managed clinical network for alcohol-related brain damage is established.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Ministerial Advisory Committee on Alcohol Problems Essential Services short-life working group has been tasked with reappraising and updating the range of acute alcohol treatment and support services that are essential for local areas, taking into account the current evidence base on effective interventions; how services should be delivered and the outcomes that should be monitored. The group’s final report will promote the development of Integrated Care Pathways for tier 3 and 4 specialist alcohol treatment services, with particular focus on the provision of robust recovery-focused assessment and care planning and through care arrangements between different care settings. It will report in early 2011.

  This working group is also considering the Missed Opportunities report and will provide advice to Scottish Government on how best to take forward its recommendations, including in relation to managed clinical networks.

Asylum Seekers

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed or will discuss with the UK Government the possibility of taking over health service provision at Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is facilitating the discussions of UK Government with NHS Lanarkshire, in this reserved area, regarding the responsibility for the delivery of primary care services to the residents of Dungavel. Specialist healthcare is currently delivered by NHS Lanarkshire.

Benefits

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-36795 by Alex Neil on 27 October 2010, whether it will contribute to the independent review by Professor Michael Harrington to scrutinise the assessment process.

Alex Neil MSP: The call for evidence for the independent review of the Department for Work and Pensions’ Work Capability Assessment, being carried out by Professor Malcolm Harrington, ended on 10 September 2010. The Scottish Government did not make a submission. Its report is anticipated to be published in December 2010. We will give due consideration to the conclusions of the review once these are known.

Blind and Partially Sighted People

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were registered as blind in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009 and how many had glaucoma, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested on how many people were registered as blind is given in table 1a of Registered Blind and Partially Sighted Persons, Scotland 2010 , published by the Scottish Government on 26 October 2010. The publication is web only and can be accessed at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/10/26094945/0

  The data is only available by local authority area and does not identify glaucoma sufferers. A full record of the number of glaucoma diagnoses is not held centrally.

Cancer

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the UK Government’s proposed creation of a £200 million cancer drug fund to provide cancer drugs that are not approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government will give due consideration to the Department of Health’s cancer drugs fund consultation findings once they are published.

  Scotland has robust, equitable and transparent arrangements for the introduction of newly licensed clinically and cost-effective medicines to treat all conditions. These arrangements include opportunities at national level to consider additional factors to facilitate, in certain circumstances, a flexible appraisal of clinical and cost-effective evidence. They also include opportunities at local level for clinically led consideration of medicines for individual patients in certain circumstances.

Cancer

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the £200 million cancer drug fund for England and Wales proposed by the UK Government will have a Barnett consequential.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government will receive consequentials on the full NHS (health) settlement in England, and these consequentials will be passed on in Scotland.

Construction Industry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role it has in trying to secure a future for the Nigg construction yard and when a conclusion to current discussions is expected.

Jim Mather: The tender process for the Nigg Yard is currently underway and bids have been received. While the Scottish Government is keeping a close interest in the bidding process, Ministers are unable to enter discussions with individual bidders at this time therefore ensuring that the process is conducted in a fair and transparent manner.

Crime Prevention

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has undertaken of crime prevention strategies.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is continually analysing and testing the latest evidence on crime prevention both nationally and internationally to inform policy development and decision making. Officials liaise widely with researchers, partner organisations and government counterparts throughout the UK and abroad to share expertise and to ensure appropriate business, planning, education and other community safety interests are represented.

  We have provided funding of over £770,000 over the three years 2008-11 for the Scottish Business Crime Centre to raise awareness of business crime, and support businesses to combat it. The main function of the centre is to provide practical advice to the business and commercial sectors on how to develop business crime reduction and prevention strategies, and aims to reduce business crime.

  We also work closely with the police-led Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) to identify, develop, promote and coordinate best practice in police work to tackle violent crime with record levels of investment into the VRU, in addition to £500,000 for the "No Knives Better Lives" youth engagement campaign launched in March 2009.

  Together with these partners and others we are collecting and sharing evidence of best practice which, along with record police numbers, has led to the lowest levels of recorded crime in 32 years.

Enterprise

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it and its agencies have given the computer games industry since 2007.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the games industry in Scotland. Through Scottish Enterprise we have provided £450,000 in financial support for companies. We have also invested £3 million in the Centre of Excellence for Games Development Education at Abertay University, and helped to fund state of the art facilities in Glasgow and Dundee. The Digital IP Fund, managed by Creative Scotland, was launched in 2009, and since this time has invested £1.4 million in digital media companies.

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when applications made at the end of 2009 to the European Fisheries Fund, provisionally to be put to a project assessment committee (PAC) in March 2010, were put to a PAC and what the reason for the delay was.

Richard Lochhead: Applications for the fourth round of awards under the European Fisheries Fund were considered by the project assessment committee on 10 September 2010. The fourth round was postponed from March 2010 to enable a full analysis of payments made in the 2009-10 financial year, and to clarify the remaining funding available under the programme.

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the most recent meeting of a project assessment committee to consider applications to the European Fisheries Fund was; when it submitted its recommendations to ministers, and when applicants will be advised of the outcome.

Richard Lochhead: The European Fisheries Fund Project Assessment Committee (PAC) last met on 10 September 2010. Initial advice on the PAC recommendations was put to ministers on 15 September 2010 and, following consideration of a number of issues, an announcement of successful awards was made on 24 October 2010.

Glasgow Airport Rail Link

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who took the decision to sell the land obtained for the Glasgow Airport Rail Link project under compulsory purchase powers; when the decision was taken; what consultation was taken before the decision, and on what dates offers of sale were made to the original owners.

Stewart Stevenson: Following the Scottish Parliament’s ratification of the Budget (Scotland) Act on 3 February 2010, which formalised the Scottish Government’s reluctant decision to cancel the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (GARL) branch line works; and in accordance with the requirements of the: Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM); the Scottish Government undertook an internal trawl of all of its Departments and Agencies to ascertain whether there was any other legitimate use that the land, previously acquired under compulsory powers for the GARL project, could be put to. The internal trawl concluded that there was no other use for the land and consequently it was deemed to be "surplus to requirements". Therefore in accordance with the statutory obligations of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link Act (2007) – Section 44 Application of Crichel Downs Rules was applied.

  We have been in consultation with the following parties in order to comply with the requirements of the SPFM and Crichel Down rules:

  Previous land owners

  District Valuation Office

  Land agents

  Legal advisors

  The Scottish Parliament has been informed of the intention to dispose of land, purchased under Compulsory Powers and subsequently deemed "surplus to requirements", and I would refer the member to the answer to questions: S3W-31078 on 4 February 2010; S3W-32289 on 19 March 2010; S3W-33248 on 23 April 2010; and S3W-33171 on 22 April 2010. Answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  The discussions that we have had with the previous owners of the land acquired using compulsory powers is set out in the following table:

  

Date
Summary of Letter ontent


10 November 2009
Informing previous owners that we were awaiting confirmation of the formal agreement of the Budget proposed on the 17 September 2009. Until outcome of this is known we were not in a position to dispose of any of the land previously acquired, however we confirmed that we would contact original owners shortly thereafter to advise of the Parliament’s decision and propose a way forward. 


11 February 2010
Confirming that Parliament met on 3 February 2010 and voted on the Budget as proposed by Cabinet Secretary for Finance & Sustainable Growth. This formalised the cancellation of the GARL branch line. We would develop a strategy for the disposal of the land deemed as "surplus to requirements" and would make further contact to advise of likely timescales for concluding the process. 


11 and 26 July 2010
Confirming that internal government land sale process complete and various plots have been declared surplus to the requirements of the Scottish Government and of our intention to sell.  Confirming that under Crichel Downs rules former owners are offered the opportunity to repurchase the land acquired from them. 


November 2010
Formal price offer letters to be issued to former owners.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information pharmacists will be able to access from GPs’ records under the chronic medication service between GPs’ and pharmacists.

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be access to historical data under the chronic medication service between GPs and pharmacists.

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which staff members at a pharmacy will be allowed access to GP-held data and how they will be identified under the chronic medication service between GPs and pharmacists.

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether access will be limited to an individual pharmacy or to a chain of pharmacies under the chronic medication service between GPs and pharmacists.

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether information obtained from GP records will be recorded manually or automatically on the pharmacy system under the chronic medication service between GPs and pharmacists.

Nicola Sturgeon: Whilst a patient is asked to provide informed consent for the sharing of relevant data between the community pharmacist and their GP when registering for the chronic medication service (CMS), CMS does not allow pharmacists to access GP held patient records. Electronic CMS data on prescribing, dispensing and reimbursement is accessible to the same NHS professionals who had access to such data derived from paper prescriptions.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether information can be selectively withheld from record sharing under the chronic medication service between GPs and pharmacists.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Chronic Medication Service (CMS) encourages closer partnership working between GPs and pharmacists to support better outcomes for patients. Whilst a patient is asked to provide informed consent for the sharing of relevant data between the community pharmacist and their GP when registering for CMS, it does not allow pharmacists to access GP held patient records. Sharing of information is a matter of clinical judgement.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether particular read codes can be automatically excluded from read coding under the chronic medication service between GPs and pharmacists.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Chronic Medication Service does not currently require the use of read codes. It remains a matter of the clinical judgement of a GP, in consultation with the patient, on whether they wish to share read codes with pharmacists.

Health

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for patients with chronic pain.

Nicola Sturgeon: The planning and provision of NHS services is a matter for NHS boards. NHS boards are expected to take account of the relevant evidence based advice and guidance in the delivery of NHS services. The treatment of individual patients is a matter of professional judgement.

Health

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards offer acupuncture treatment for patients with chronic pain.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information about NHS availability of acupuncture treatment is not held centrally.

Health

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the availability of acupuncture treatment for patients with chronic pain.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information about NHS availability of acupuncture treatment for patients with chronic pain is not held centrally.

Health

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it monitors how often patients are able to access acupuncture treatment and the length of time between sessions.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information about NHS access to acupuncture treatment is not held centrally.

Health

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any clinical or policy decision to reduce the availability of acupuncture treatment for patients with chronic pain.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS boards are responsible for providing NHS services in accordance with national and local priorities and in line with the health needs of the population. Decisions regarding the care of individual patients are a matter of professional judgement for the clinician responsible for the patient’s care.

  The Scottish Government’s current policy in relation to NHS provision of complementary or alternative medicines, including acupuncture, is that these may offer relief to some people suffering from a wide variety of conditions, and it is open to NHS boards in Scotland to make such services available based on an assessment of needs within their respective areas

  Guidance was issued to NHS boards in August 2005, to remind them that this option is open to them. The letter, NHS Circular HDL (2005) 37, is available at:

  http://www.sehd.scot.nhs/mels/HDL2005_37.pdf.

Health

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the position is regarding a new health centre in Linwood, for which planning permission was granted in 2008.

Nicola Sturgeon: We are aware that Tesco has submitted a proposal of application to the local council and plan to hold a public exhibition of its plans in late November 2010. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is continuing to work with Tesco to agree how to move forward with this potential development with regard to the health centre.

Housing

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it anticipates an increase in repossessions as a result of the announcement by the Department for Work and Pensions that it is reducing income support mortgage interest payments from 6.08% to 3.63% per annum.

Alex Neil: We believe that the recent changes to Support for Mortgage Interest will increase the number of home owners in Scotland facing financial difficulty and, potentially, at risk of repossession. However, we have put in place a number of measures to protect home owners in Scotland who are at risk of repossession.

  Firstly, we provide funding for the provision of debt advice, to try and help people in financial difficulty at an early stage. Secondly, we operate the Home Owners’ Support Fund, which includes the Mortgage to Rent and Mortgage to Shared Equity schemes, for those who are at risk of repossession and are unable to trade down. Home owners receiving support from UK schemes, and who are still at risk of their homes being repossessed, are entitled to apply for assistance. Thirdly, we have implemented the Home Owner and Debtor Protection (Scotland) Act 2010, which ensures that all repossession cases are subject to court scrutiny (except in cases of voluntary surrender); requires lenders to show in court that they have considered every reasonable alternative to repossession; and allows home owners to be represented in court by approved lay representatives.

Housing

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take action to prevent repossessions as a result of the decision by the Department for Work and Pensions to cut income support mortgage interest payments by approximately 40%.

Alex Neil: We believe that the recent changes to Support for Mortgage Interest will increase the number of home owners in Scotland facing financial difficulty and, potentially, at risk of repossession. However, we have put in place a number of measures to protect home owners in Scotland who are at risk of repossession.

  Firstly, we provide funding for the provision of debt advice, to try and help people in financial difficulty at an early stage. Secondly, we operate the Home Owners’ Support Fund, which includes the Mortgage to Rent and Mortgage to Shared Equity schemes, for those who are at risk of repossession and are unable to trade down. Home owners receiving support from UK schemes, and who are still at risk of their homes being repossessed, are entitled to apply for assistance. Thirdly, we have implemented the Home Owner and Debtor Protection (Scotland) Act 2010, which ensures that all repossession cases are subject to court scrutiny (except in cases of voluntary surrender); requires lenders to show in court that they have considered every reasonable alternative to repossession; and allows home owners to be represented in court by approved lay representatives.

Housing

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it anticipates a significant increase in demand on the Home Owners’ Support Fund following the announcement by the Department for Work and Pensions that it is to reduce income support mortgage interest payments and, if so, how it plans to cope with this.

Alex Neil: It is recognised that Support for Mortgage Interest may not remove the threat of repossession for some homeowners, and there may be an increase in the number of homeowners facing financial difficulty. £20 million has been allocated to the Home Owners’ Support Fund this financial year to support the most vulnerable households. Home owners receiving support from UK schemes, and who are still at risk of their homes being repossessed, are entitled to apply for assistance. Decisions on future funding have not yet been made.

Housing

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to increase the amount available to home owners through the Home Owners’ Support Fund in order to offset the reduction in income support mortgage interest payments announced by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Alex Neil: It is recognised that Support for Mortgage Interest may not remove the threat of repossession for some homeowners, and there may be an increase in the number of homeowners facing financial difficulty. £20 million has been allocated to the Home Owners’ Support Fund this financial year to support the most vulnerable households. Home owners receiving support from UK schemes, and who are still at risk of their homes being repossessed, are entitled to apply for assistance. Decisions on future funding have not yet been made.

Local Authorities

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking with local authorities to promote and report on performance improvement plans.

John Swinney: Performance improvement is a part of the duty of best value which, alongside an obligation to report on performance, is a requirement of local authorities under the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003. The Accounts Commission is working on behalf of the Scottish Government with local authorities to further develop the duty through the roll out of Best Value 2 audits.

Local Authorities

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it issues guidance to local authorities regarding the disposal of buildings that they no longer require and, if so, where it can be accessed.

John Swinney: Recent guidance to local authorities in relation to the disposal of land (including buildings) was issued by the Scottish Government in May 2010. A copy of the guidance is on the Scottish Government website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/07/26124543/0.

Local Authorities

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how local authorities are permitted to use capital receipts from the sale of buildings.

John Swinney: Local authorities may use capital receipts from the sale of buildings to finance new capital expenditure or to repay the principal element of loans.

NHS Hospitals

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) timetable and (b) process is for considering the future of the C3 orthopaedics ward at the Raigmore Hospital by (i) NHS Highland and (ii) the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing.

Nicola Sturgeon: I understand that the Clinical Management Team at NHS Highland has been reviewing the overall bed usage within Raigmore Hospital, in conjunction with the relevant staff, to ensure that the bed complement continues to be safe and sustainable; remains compliant with infection control protocols and is as efficient as possible.

  In terms of timing, I understand that further engagement is underway between management and staff on the proposals, and that the outcome of these discussions will inform the next steps and associated timeframe. Should any resulting proposals be considered major service change, they must be subject to formal public consultation and, ultimately, ministerial approval.

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what NHS capital projects have been approved at final business case stage but are not yet legally committed, broken down by NHS board and the value of each project.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are no capital projects approved by the Scottish Government at final business case stage which are not yet legally committed.

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS boards have been given an indication of their likely capital allocation for 2011-12 and, if so, what this is for each NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS boards have not been given an indication of their likely capital allocations for 2011-12. NHS boards will be informed of their 2011-12 capital allocations early in 2011, following approval of the Scottish budget by the Scottish Parliament.

National Health Service

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has an estimate of the proportion of spend on NHS distinction awards that relates to pension contributions.

Nicola Sturgeon: As stated in my reply to your question S3W-35339 on 9 August 2010, information relating to the proportion of spend on NHS Distinction Awards that specifically relates to pension contributions is not available. The overall budget for distinction awards was frozen this year at £28 million.

Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill will give patients over 40 the right to a health check similar to that in the NHS in England.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 17 March 2010. The policy content of the Bill is set out in the Policy Memorandum. The Bill is now going through the parliamentary process and its final shape will be a matter for the Parliament.

Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what rights will be given to patients with a (a) hearing impairment, (b) visual impairment and (c) language or literacy difficulty under the Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 17 March 2010. The policy content of the Bill is set out in the Policy Memorandum. The Bill is now going through the parliamentary process and its final shape will be a matter for the Parliament.

Planning

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on using planning regulations to require supermarkets to source locally a proportion of their goods.

Stewart Stevenson: There is currently no provision in primary legislation that would permit the making of such regulations.

Public Transport

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to maintain the provision of bus services in isolated urban communities reliant on public transport.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government is committed to bus services in Scotland. We are working with local government partners and bus operators to maintain and improve bus services. The Scottish Government is providing funding to the bus industry of over £240 million in the current financial year.

  The majority of services in Scotland are operated on a commercial basis by private bus companies. Local authorities can provide subsidy for services that are not provided on a commercial basis but this is entirely a matter for the local authority.

Public Transport

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation process is necessary prior to the alteration of commercial bus services and whether there are plans to enhance this process.

Stewart Stevenson: Bus operators are required to inform local transport authorities of service changes 14 days prior to notifying changes to the Traffic Commissioner. This allows local transport authority officers time to spot errors in timetables or maps and advise operators of required changes that need to be made prior to submission of the application to the Traffic Commissioner. Operators are required to inform passengers of service changes 21 days prior to changes coming into effect. There are no current plans to amend this process.

Roads

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated start date is for work on the A90 Balmedie-Tipperty dual carriageway.

Stewart Stevenson: The report of the Public Local Inquiry for the A90 Balmedie-Tipperty scheme is currently with the Scottish Ministers for decision. If the decision is to proceed, it would then be necessary to re-evaluate the remaining stages of the programme, including procurement, before issuing a definitive construction timetable.

Roads

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest estimated costs are for the A90 Balmedie-Tipperty dual carriageway.

Stewart Stevenson: The current estimated total scheme cost for the A90 Balmedie-Tipperty Scheme is £51 to £64 million excluding VAT. This estimated cost will be reviewed and updated once the statutory procedures are complete and prior to the commencement of the procurement process.

Scottish Parliament Elections

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions ministers have had with the (a) Secretary of State for Scotland and (b) Deputy Prime Minister regarding the possible change of date to the Scottish Parliament election in 2015.

Jim Mather: Scottish Ministers have written to the UK Government on a number of occasions to express their opposition to the proposal to hold the next UK General Election on the same day as elections to the Scottish Parliament in 2015. Scottish Ministers have also raised this issue in meetings with UK Ministers and will continue to press the UK Government to work with the Scottish Government and Parliament to avoid the problems which a clash of dates would create.